Piston water-meter



2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. H. GOUMBS.

PISTON WATER METER.

Patented Sept. 27,1881.

(Model.)

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. OOOMBS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PISTON WATER-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of `Letters Patent No. 247,617, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed April 14, 1881. (Model.)

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that 1,JoHN H. UooMBs, of Boston, in the county of Suoll and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinWater-Meters, ot'which the following is a speciiication.

The objects of my invention are to provide a cheap, simple, durable, and accurate watermeter, which shall register the exact quantity of water passing through the same under any pressure and in any desired size ot' stream, an d which shall operate automatically solely by the pressure ofthe water upon the piston-heads and the movement of the valves reciprocally therewith; and a further object is to simplify the construction, and thereby reduce the cost, and` also reduce the i'rictional contact-surfaces 0f the reciprocating piston and valvesand the connection and operation of the registering mechanism, whereby durability is insured and accuracy obtained in the measurement of the liquid or operating agent passing or owing through the same; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the main hollow reciprocating valve and the dat sliding auxiliary valve and the communicating passages and their ports with the reciprocating piston and actuating-lever, for imparting the rotative movement to the registering mechanism, as hereinafter more fully described and set forth.

Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse central section of a water-meter embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of the main-valve shell or case removed from the piston case or shell. Fig. 4 represents a vertical longitudinal central section of the main valve and its shell or case.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the actuating-lever in position.

A represents the outer shell or cylindric casing, into which is nicely fitted the hollow piston C C, so as to slide back and forth therein and form an airftight joint with the said shell, the ends of which are suitably closed by the headsA A2, secured thereto by means of bolts and nuts in the usual manner.

At one side of the shell or case A, and at about mid-length thereof, is provided an inlet, E, having an internal screw-thread, whereby the meter maybe connected with awaterpipe,

as' heretofore. The shell or case is also provided on its upper portion, and nearly opposite the inlet E, with an opening,D,and internally near each end with passages I I', which lead therefrom toward the center and open outwardly through the same, near the lower portion thereof, into the bottom portion ofthe .main-valve shell P, which is secured to the vertical outer face ot the piston-shell A by suitable screw-bolts, so as to form a tight joint. This valve-shell P is provided with a cylindrical bore, into which is fitted the hollow reciprocating valve G, having an opening, F, in its upper side, and two ports or openings, H H', in its bottom, and between these its lower su'rvface or bearing is provided with a transverse passage, which communicates with the outlet S. This valve-shell P is closed at each end by suitable heads, O O, and on its upper surface is provided with a short vertical tube adapted to receive therein the ratchet mechanism conneeted with the vertical actuating-shaft V, to the lower end of which is connected one end of the horizontal actuatinglever U, the opposite reciprocating end being arranged to contact with the inner heads, B B, of the said hollow piston, and is provided with a broad rounded end, so as to permit the reciprocation of the same with the movement of the piston, as shown in Fig. 5.

The face of the valve-shell P is provided with a dat horizontally-sliding valve, K, having a projecting stem, L, which contacts with the said heads B B' of the piston during a portion of its stroke, as hereinafter described. This flat sliding valve K is held in contact with its seat upon the vertical face of the said valve shellP by the pressure of the water, and its horizontal movement is guided by a ledge formed on the piston-shell, which forms a groove when the parts are brought together, in which the lower edge of the flat valve K rests and slides when in operation, as follows: lhe'water flows through the inlet E and lls the-space between the inner heads, B B', of the reciprocating piston C C', and thence through the opening D of the case or shell A, inclosingthe said piston, and through the opening F into the chamber of the main hollow reciprocatin g valve Gr, and thence downward through its port H into the passage I, which leads to the space between the outer head, J,

IOO

of the piston and the end or head A' ofthe cylindric shellA, when the pressure ofthe water therein forces the reciprocating pistou C C' nearly to the opposite end or head, A2, ot' the said shell; and j ust before it reaches the end of its stroke the inner head, B, contacts with the stem L ofthe sliding atvalve K and moves it sufticiently to open the port N of the passage M, which leads to the space between the end O of the main-valve shell P and the end of the said reciprocating valve G. A small quantity of water entering therein forces the said hollow valve G inthe opposite direction to the movement of the piston, and thus opens the outlet-port R lo the water contained in the space between the opposite outer head, J', ot' piston O'and opposite end or head, A, of the said shell A, and in the opposite passage, M', whence it tlows from the outlet S. Now, the inlet-water flows into the chamber of the main valve Gr, as before, and passes downward through its opposite port, H', into the opposite passage, I', leading to the space between the opposite outer head, J', ot' the piston C' and the end or head Afiot the said shell A, so that the pressure of water iiowing therein shall cause the said piston C U' to reciprocate, thus operatin g or reciprocating the said valves G and K, as before described,whereby a constant stream of water is permitted to flow through the meter. llhe water contained between the endot' the main valve Gr andthe end or head 0 of its shell or case P ilows back through its passage and port R,beneath the ti atvalve K, to the exhaust-port T, and thence through the main outlet S, during the movement or reciprocation or' the 'said valve G.

In order to accurately measure and register the quantityof water thus passing through the meter, I construct a horizontal lever, U, the i'ree end of which is formed so as to contact loosely between the said inner heads, B B', of the said reciprocating piston C C' in such manner as to impart a corresponding reciprocating movement thereto, its opposite end being connected to the lower end ot' the vertical shaft V, which may thereby have an in termittent rotative movement imparted to it; and said shaft is provided with a fixed ratchetwheel containing an odd number or twentyive teeth, which are acted upon or held by four pawls, some one of which constantly drops within the teeth and contacts therewith, so as to rotate a similar or correspondingloose ratch et-wheel upon said shaft, provided with an odd num ber or twenty-five teeth, which are acted upon by four pawls holding in the opposite direction, whereby the movement of said lever U communicates a continuous rotary movement to a suitable registering mechanism, as heretofore.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isrlhe combination, with the reciprocating piston having a transverse inlet water-passage between its inner heads, ot' the Hat sliding valve, which contacts with said heads during a portion ot' said pistons stroke, and the horizontal actuating-arm, arranged as described, and the main hollow reciprocating valve and its shellor case, havingthe openings, ports,and passages constructed and arranged l'or operation substantially as shown and described, as and tor the purposes set forth.

JOHN H. UOOMBS. Witnesses:

SYLvENUs WALKER, R. B. CLARK. 

